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  1. Abu Dhabi, UAE  (A jelly Martini at Ray's Bar)
    A jelly Martini at Ray's Bar

    Soak up heart-stopping views of the Emirati capital from the 62nd floor of the chic Jumeirah at Etihad Towers hotel. Then soak up a jelly Martini from Ray Bar's lengthy drinks menu – sharp and fruity with little cubes of jelly bobbing about, it packs a potent punch...

    Plushly decorated and intimately lit, Ray's Bar exudes Humphrey Bogart white-tux class in a slightly space-age setting. The bartenders are, as you'd expect, a talented bunch, mixing drinks with confidence and flair. You'll find they are more than willing to stir up something bespoke for you – if you engage them in a conversation about your favourite cocktail or preferred flavours. Beyond cocktails, the pop-art styled drinks menu is extensive, offering Champagne, wines and spirits for the less adventurous. 

    The bar's perch on 62nd floor of the hotel adds to the rarefied atmosphere, and it's perhaps the high-altitude panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf and rapidly evolving Abu Dhabi cityscape that make a jelly Martini at Ray's an essential AD experience. Low lighting lures guests into alcoves and behind velvet drapes while a deep house soundtrack enlivens the ambience at the weekend. Even in a city that values luxury Ray’s Bar is in a class of its own. Anna McCormack, sub-editor, Time Out Abu Dhabi

    Ray's Bar, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Ras Al Akhdar, Abu Dhabi, UAE. +971 2 811 5555, www.jumeirah.com


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    Picture by Ruel Pableo

  2. Beirut, Lebanon (Arak at Anise)
    Arak at Anise

    Sip on a glass of arak, Lebanon's favourite aniseed aperitif, and experience an age-old Levantine ritual in one of the city's most exciting up-and-coming nightlife spots.

    Over the last couple of years, boutiques, art spaces and bars have been sprouting up in Mar Mikhael, making this once down-at-the-heel district an unmissable Beirut destination. For many, this Armenian neighbourhood’s charm still lies in its authenticity – a factor the owners of Anise, the newest kid on the block, are keen to preserve. With only a discreet label above the doorbell announcing its presence, Anise feels clandestine and old world. Traditionally tiled floors, floral wallpaper and the natty uniforms of the bartenders (all cousins, by the way) make for a warm welcome and homely atmosphere. Anise’s specialty is, you guessed it, arak – Lebanon’s time-honoured elixir. Acquire a taste of Beirut by trying one of the seven regional varieties served in the traditional fashion: with a little water, ice and fresh mint. For an exotic twist, try arak with sharab el toot – the sweet, pink syrup of Lebanon’s mulberry orchards. John Burns, Nightlife editor, Time Out Beirut

    Anis, Alexander Flemming Street, Mar Mikhael, Beirut, Lebanon


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    Picture by Alexander Wilson

  3. Doha, Qatar (Karak coffee at Chapati & Karak)
    Karak coffee at Chapati & Karak

    A national obsession, karak is what happens when Indian chai meets sweet, cardamom-flavoured condensed milk, and proceeds to take over an Arabic country. With its multicultural roots, there’s no wonder it’s the must-try beverage in a city that’s (conservatively) 80 per cent expat. Plus, in true Qatar style, they’ll bring it right to your car without you ever having to leave your air-conditioned haven.

    Qatar’s officially a dry country, and despite the heat, tea and coffee drinking is a big part of the Arabic tradition of hospitality. And while you can find flashy pubs and exotic mixed drinks (may we suggest the pink grapefruit mohitos at Wahm at the W Doha Hotel & Residences, where the chichi head to get expensively sloshed in the outdoor cabanas on Thursday nights), there’s something charmingly authentic about Chapati & Karak.

    Although it’s part of the Katara Cultural Village, a modern facsimile of an old Qatari settlement, this kerbside spot keeps it real. There are a few scattered picnic tables outside, but for the full experience you pull up in your car and honk. Paper-hatted waiters will appear and will serve you – what else? – chapati and karak for just slightly more than the price of a bottle of water. You can get out of your car and stroll along the waterfront while sipping the sweet concoction, but hang out near the parking lot and you’ll spot Qataris cruising up and down in their flash cars.

    Many drinks could be nominated as 'the taste of the city': from lemon mint, a combination of fresh squeezed lemon juice and fresh mint, to the bullfrog, a potent mix of tequila, gin, rum, vodka, blue Curacao and Red Bull (an expat rite of passage that’s best drunk at a beach party). But while Qatar, like many Gulf countries, has a reputation for its luxurious excess, the real Doha experience is a simple cup of tea, while gentle sea breezes waft off the Arabian Gulf. And ostentatious automobiles rev their engines in the background. Jessica Davey-Quantick, editor, Time Out Doha

    West Bay, Doha, Qatar. +974 4408 1408


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    Picture by George Dipin

  4. Dubai, UAE (A 'Titan Martini' at Neos)
    A 'Titan Martini' at Neos

    Dubai is a city known for glitz, glamour, class – and the tallest building in the world – all of which are found at Neos. An exclusive cocktail lounge on the 63rd floor, it offers the best views in town of that true titan in world architecture, the Burj Khalifa.

    It takes three elevators to reach Neos, the classy cocktail bar that sits at the dizzying top of The Address Downtown Dubai, the fifth tallest hotel in Dubai (and sixth in the world). There’s not a better place to take in the city’s glittering skyline: Sitting proudly opposite the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and with the Dubai Fountains (yes, the largest in the world) swishing way down below, you could lose hours absorbing the melodrama of the city’s assembled skyscrapers (it’s worth noting the cover of Ayn Rand’s 'The Fountainhead' adorns the walls). If pushed, we’d say it’s a view that never gets old.

    But there’s more to Neos than its vantage. Namely, the drinks. The bar hosts some of the hottest bartenders in town, and there are some daring creations on the list. For ambition and scale to match the view, we'd recommend Neos's 'Titan Martini', a potent mix of Ketel One vodka, Laurent-Perrier Brut NV, mint, lime and agave syrup.

    In a city known for tasteless opulence, for lining every surface in sight with Swarovski crystals and leaked bar receipts bigger than the GDP of some nations, Neos has an understated charm. With smooth, dark furnishings, slick service and a house pianist the right side of mellow, Neos is a must for all residents and tourists alike. Robert Garratt, Nightlife & Music editor, Time Out Dubai

    Level 63, The Address Downtown Dubai, Dubai. +971 (0)4 436 7700. www.theaddress.com/en/dining/neos-1


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